7 Days
by cOokIng PoT
Summary: They all knew it was going to happen- that Haruhi would be a runaway bride. It was a disaster in the making, and all this in a mere 7 days. Chapter 7: The. End.
1. Prologue: Where Hunny Observes

Reworked from Yume (now deleted) to give this story a more definite plot and timeline. Enjoy and reviews are definitely appreciated.

**7 Days- Prologue: Where Hunny Observes**

Finally, it was the day of the highly anticipated wedding of the year. The guests were all seated, the weather was brilliant, the birds were chirping, and in short, everything was perfect. Hunny sat at the front row together with Takashi, doing what he did best- observe. The twins had appointed themselves as the official wedding planners this time. Hunny thought that this was their way of dealing with the disappointment that Haruhi was now going to share a life with another person who was not either of them. They were bustling about, giving last-minute instructions for the crème de la finale of their planning- the entrance of the bride. Hunny gave a small smile, glad that they had factored in suggestion of having a 10-tier strawberry cake. He shifted his glance from the door of the church to the altar.

The groom stood there, muttering somewhat incoherently to himself. Poor Tama-chan, he was probably nervous like anything. If he ever messed up, Hunny was pretty certain Ranka-san would banish his future son-in-law to the depths of hell and would hold a grudge against him till his last days on earth. His nervousness was a complete opposite to the aloof, calm and collected greek-god stature the best man next to him cut.

Ah, Kyou-chan, looking as handsome as ever. He wore contacts specifically for today, and looked even better. Time had been kind to them all, but Hunny had always thought Kyouya was the one who matured the best. Kyouya looked mildly irritated with Tamaki's incessant questioning every five seconds, and seemed quite ready to murder the poor groom.

But, there was something else to Kyouya that Hunny saw, which very few or even perhaps no one did. He saw a slight waver in those oynx eyes no longer obscured by the glint of his spectacles, a slight wrangling of hands and an occasional bite of the lip- very uncharacteristic of Kyou-chan indeed.

"Ne Takashi, do you think something will happen today?" He looked up to the stoic man who sat next to him. Mori looked at his cousin, not quite decided what his cousin meant.

"I think…" He motioned for his cousin to bend down so he could whisper into his ear. "… we shouldn't have bought the wedding present after all."

"Ah." And before Mori could ask any further, the twins had given the cue for the wedding march to be played. The guests shifted in their seats to look at the church doors opening slowly, a flurry of rose petals descending from the wedding arch. The groom and his best man turned to look at the entrance, where …

Ranka stood, very alone. He was dressed formally in a tuxedo although his long hair had been pulled back into a rather stylish manish ponytail. The guests started to murmur and the twins were mortified.

"Fujioka –papa! Where's Haruhi!" Hikaru asked anxiously. Ranka cleared his throat.

"Ah, Haruhi ran off."

And with that, chaos erupted.

* * *

Tamaki had nearly fainted with the news, if not for Kaoru who was standing near the former Host Club King who managed to break the fall. Hikaru started jabbering angrily into the walkie-talkie, harassing Ranka at the same time. Kyouya, on the other hand, had merely stood rigidly at the side, seemingly detached from the entire situation.

"Haruhi…" Tamaki whimpered in Karou's arms. Yuzuru Suoh was shouting at Yoshio Ootori who had probably made some pointless comment, and the guests started to speculate even louder. Hunny got up from his seat and walked towards the altar.

"Kyou-chan." He addressed simply. Kyouya looked at his former sempai. Hunny merely smiled at him.

"Go find her." He gave Kyouya a small push in the direction of the door. Kyouya was startled, but did not further prompting as his legs carried him as quickly as he could out of the church. Tamaki was stunned, and merely started to grow hysterical.

"Tono! Get a hold on yourself!" Kaoru tried consoling the now-hysterical groom. Hunny let out a small sigh as Mori stood next to him. Tamaki tried to stand up to run in the direction that Kyouya had taken off from, but Hunny put up his hand at him.

"Tama-chan, let him go." He said softly. Tamaki staggered, and Ranka who by now had managed to scream Hikaru's questioning down and was by Tamaki's side, merely placed a hand on Hunny's shoulder.

"You knew, didn't you Hunny-san?"

Hunny merely smiled. Oh yes, he had known this would happen. In fact, he had known a week ago and he was pretty sure that he was not the only one who knew. He glanced at Hikaru and Kaoru who both had a guilt-stricken expression on their faces as they tried to comfort their king, Yoshio Ootori who merely had a smirk on his face and Yuzuru Suoh who looked puzzled and decidedly lost. Ranka on the other hand, had a look of sadness mixed with relief.

"Takashi, will he find her?" He asked the taller man, smiling. Tamaki had grown quiet on hearing Hunny's question while Hikaru and Kaoru looked with interest at Mori.

"Definitely." And Tamaki started wailing, the whole waterworks and fireworks ensemble starting up again. It was a disaster in the making. And all this, in a mere… 7 days ago.

Hunny motioned to his cousin to bend down and whispered into his ear, "We really shouldn't have bought that present after all."

* * *

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	2. Day 1: Where Hikaru and Kaoru Question

**Day 1: Where Hikaru and Kaoru Question**

When Tamaki had excitedly broken news of his engagement to Haruhi, the twins could not quite believe that the idiot had finally made his move and that Haruhi was actually content to lead the rest of her life with an idiot. Hikaru was hurt, even though he had long accepted that Haruhi would never see him as more than a friend. Kaoru on the other hand, was slightly puzzled.

But the questions were all shoved roughly aside as they threw themselves into the planning of the wedding. And now, with exactly a week to go, they had finally managed to come up with all 7 designs of their intended wedding dresses just in time for the wedding pictures.

T o say that the Hitachiin twins were brilliant was an understatement. The only problem now lay in convincing the bride-to-be that she would look absolutely stunning in them. She had been wearing a sour expression all day, irritated with the fuss that was involved with taking wedding pictures.

"Haruhi! Aren't you glad that we're finally dressing like a couple?" Tamaki had swooned as she changed into yet another poofy Hitacchin design. She had grudgingly admitted to herself that they were very pretty, but she was getting very tired of Tamaki's whining and swooning.

"Tamaki, can we just finish this quickly? I need to go back to the office to finish my paperwork." Tamaki looked stricken at his bride-to-be gave him a pointed look.

"But…But I thought you took the week off! We're getting married end of this week you know!" He babbled on incessantly on how this week would be the most important week of their lives, and how he needed her to be at his side planning the wedding (Haruhi had merely pointed to the twins who were their official wedding planners). She let out a huge sigh and stomped off to the changing room.

"Tono, let's take a break. I'll go look at Haruhi." Kaoru had said. He motioned to HIkaru to take care of Tamaki and headed for the changing room. Hikaru nodded and waved Kaoru off. His eyes narrowed as he watched Kaoru's retreating back.

Hikaru was rash, but not as unperceptive as many thought him to be. While his perceptiveness could be very clouded when it came to things involving Haruhi, it was not that difficult to clear the fog and mist if he chose to.

Which then brought him to the very obvious question of why Haruhi was looking so decidedly sour the entire day. Hell, she did not even seem a bit interested in her own wedding. If anything, it was obvious that there was something wrong with a huge-ass exclaimation mark hanging about this entire wedding. Not that no one knew why- it was obvious but perhaps it was only the groom who did not see it.

"So Tono, did Kyouya say he will be back?" Hikaru decided to test the waters as he asked nonchantly, arranging the outfits. At the mention of Kyouya, Tamaki perked up from his earlier dejected state.

"Oh yes! He said he will be my best man! I am so happy! This is absolutely my dream wedding!" As Tamaki rambled on yet again, Hikaru snorted. Kyouya as best man? This was a sure set-up for a pure A-class drama. He absent-mindedly folded in some of the fabrics as he let his thoughts wander. He wondered how Kyouya was feeling. If Hikaru as a spurned, rejected soul was feeling _this _shitty about the entire affair, how would the almost-nearly groom of Haruhi feel seeing her marry his best friend? He never did know what had happened, but then again, he never asked.

"Hikaru!" A shout from Tamaki startled him and he pricked his finger accidentally with a pin. He let out a sigh and frowned at the blonde.

"What."

"You're bleeding! Oh my gosh! Hikaru, don't die!"

"Gee Tono…."

* * *

"Haruhi. Need help?" Kaoru asked as he got behind the changing curtain. He heard ruffling of fabrics, and finally, her head popped out from behind the curtain.

"Ah Kaoru, yes please. The zipper got stuck." He smiled and proceeded to help her with the zipper.

"Ah, your hair got caught in the hook. Hang on." As he tried to tease the loose lock off, he could not help but notice Haruhi's look of… was that sadness? "Haruhi." He said softly, and she rearranged her face to look composed again.

"Ah, thank you Kaoru." She waited for him to leave but Kaoru was not quite done yet.

"Are you happy, Haruhi?" She let out a small sigh, aware that the more perceptive twin had caught wind of her current emotional turmoil.

"I am just very tired. I…I don't know if this is what I want." She admitted to him. He brought out his hands and hugged her. She welcomed the hug, her body sagging against his. She buried her head into his chest. "Am I doing the right thing?" She asked in a small voice.

Kaoru could only look up and sigh. "It shouldn't be about what's right or not, Haruhi. It should be about whether you doing this because you want to."

"I don't know what I want anymore."

"You don't want Tamaki. You want Kyouya." She raised her head to look at him, her expression surprised. Kaoru knew he had hit the jackpot. He pulled her away from him and held her hands.

"But… Kyouya doesn't want me." She bit her lip and looked away. And the only thing Kaoru could do then was to hug her again.

* * *

They managed to finish the last of the wedding shoot successfully, especially when the twins dangled a plate of fresh ootoro in front of Haruhi. She was relieved when Hikaru finally put his arm around her and called it a day, and shrugged when Tamaki started getting all flustered with shouts of the 'evil doppleganger' molesting her.

"Tamaki, stop it." Haruhi dead-panned as she stepped out of the changing room in her usual business attire. "I am heading back to the office." She walked out as quickly, with Tamaki chasing after her, whining on how it was late and she should not be working.

Hikaru merely shook his head at Tamaki's usual crazy behavior. "How is she ever going to stand him?" He wondered aloud and blew off a wisp of hair that had strayed across his face. Kaoru offered no answer, merely looking through the photographs of the shoot.

"Hey Hikaru, come here." He called out and Hikaru sauntered over, draping his arm across his twin's shoulders. Kaoru double-clicked on a photograph and enlarged it further, till it filled the entire screen. The photographer had taken a shot of Haruhi sitting on a couch, while she was waiting for Tamaki to change. She cradled a bouquet of roses, wisps of hair falling naturally to frame her face. Her soft brown eyes were focused on a particular rose in the bouqet- a purple one. It was a look of sadness, a look that tore through the hearts of the twins.

There had once been a rose-themed party, and every imaginable colour for a rose was present. One of the girls visiting the host club had asked Haruhi what coloured rose she thought Kyouya was. Haruhi had been surprised by the question, since very few people rarely asked her about Kyouya, but she contemplated the question carefully.

"Purple. I think he's a purple rose."

"Oh, why so Haruhi-san?" The girl had asked excitedly.

"Because purple is a mixing of red of blue, which makes it a strong warm, yet strong cool colour. I think Kyouya-sempai has a cool exterior, but can be very passionate on the inside." She smiled warmly, earning a number of swoons from her audience.

Kaoru had knew then that she had fallen for the shadow king, but he never did know how deep her feelings ran. If he did, he might have been shaken by the depth of such feelings. He opened another folder and Hikaru looked at him in surprise.

"How did you…"

"I swiped it off Haruhi's laptop when I used it the last time we visited her at home."

"Wedding photos? They took wedding photos?!" Hikaru nearly screeched as Kaoru ran through the folder.

"HIkaru, look." Kaoru automated the photographs and the slide show lolled along, as they sat there looking. Every photograph had Haruhi smiling brightly, alongside Kyouya. She wore only one dress, but she looked beautiful in it. Kaoru pressed the pause button on one photograph.

The photographer had captured Haruhi sitting alone on the plush couch, her hands holding a boquet full of white roses, safe for a purple rose in the middle. Her eyes were downcast, looking at the rose but her smile was full and warm.

She looked so….

Happy.

And all the twins could think of then was 'Why?', but it was perhaps a bit too late to ask for an answer. Or, was it?

* * *

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	3. Day 2: Where the Fathers Talk A Lot

**Day 2: Where the Fathers Talk A Lot**

Fujioka Ranka was supposed to be excited. His only daughter was finally getting married and he really should be a bit more prepped up even though she was marrying that eech, _foreign bug_ (Ranka shuddered then). He let out a sigh as he picked up Kotoko's photograph.

"My dear, I hope our baby's happy." Just then, the door to the 2K apartment opened and in plodded Haruhi, who looked decidedly tired. "Tadaima, Otou-san." She mumbled as she headed to get a cup of hot tea to clear her fatigue-addled brain. Ranka clucked his tongue in disapproval.

"Haruhi! You didn't come home last night! Where were you? Not with that foreign bug I hope!"

"Dad, he's going to be your son-in-law. Get used to the idea. I was clearing backlog at the office till about 6am." Ranka blanched noticeably at that. Despite his prayers, he still was not warmed up to that very idea. But he pursed his lips and let it go, deciding instead not to antagonize his poor daughter.

"So, how did the wedding shoot go?"He asked, as she sipped her tea. She looked at him and heaved another sigh.

"Crazy, as usual." She poured her father a cup of tea and set it in front of him. "The twins had fabulous outfits but… they aren't quite the wedding gown I had in mind. They are beautiful nonetheless." Ranka perked up slightly at that.

"You actually have a dream wedding gown?" Haruhi looked at her father in mild disbelief.

"Doesn't every girl have one?" She poured more tea for herself, relaxing visibly into the cushion. Ranka's eyes brightened.

"What does your dream wedding gown look like then?"

"Tch. Stop being so excited."

"But I want to know! Haruhi!" Ranka whined. Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"It just have to have a lot of sequins and no train. Tube dress, curves at the right places. Off-white." She described it methodically as though she was dissecting a case. She got up from the cushion. "I am going to crash dad. I am meeting Tamaki's dad later for lunch." Ranka watched his daughter trod off to her room and yelled a cheery good night to her. He set his simmering cup of tea on the table.

He knew that dress anywhere. It was the same wedding gown Kyoya had tailored for her back then, precisely a year and six months ago. Ranka knew because he was counting down to the day when Kyouya would finally take his rightful place next to his sweet little girl, but somehow that hope seemed to be fading.

He had witnessed how devastated her little girl had been that very day Kyouya had left her with nothing but a note in hand and a trail of broken promises. He had found her sitting on the very table he was at, with a cup of tea in front of her. The tea had long gone cold.

"Haruhi?" He asked, touching her shoulder gingerly. She turned around to look at him. He nearly stumbled backward from the look she gave him. A look of intense pain, sorrow and anguish. He saw the piece of paper she clutched in her hand, her knuckles turning a deathly white from the strain.

_I am sorry._

And for one of the very few times in his life, his dear daughter embraced him tightly, her hot tears spilling. And for one of the very few times in his life, Ranka never felt so helpless.

* * *

Haruhi winced slightly as she stepped out into the summer heat. It took all of her willpower to get up and out of the house to make it for the lunch meeting with her future father-in-law. Any lesser female would have quelled under the chance to meet one of the richest and most powerful man in Japan but this was Haruhi. She was just hoping to get the lunch over and done with, especially when she knew how over-the-top Yuzuru Suoh could be.

Just as she was about to turn into the footpath to the subway station, a sleek limo pulled up alongside her. The tinted car window rolled down to reveal Yoshio Ootori.

"Fujioka-san." He addressed as she stopped walking to look at him in mild surprise. "Do you need a lift?" The door to the limo opened and she let out a small sigh. Seems like her answer was not exactly needed. She climbed in.

"I wasn't aware that you had any dealings in this part of town." Haruhi commented. Yoshio raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"Perhaps, perhaps. I heard you're meeting Yuzuru Suoh for lunch?"

"Yes. He will be my father-in-law after all." She stated bluntly.

"Fujioka-san…" He paused slightly. "I am sorry." Haruhi's mind stopped working suddenly. Did Yoshio Ootori just apologise to her? Wait, Ootoris never did apologies. It just was not wired into their DNA. That was a genetic ally established fact.

He coughed slightly to bring her back crashing to reality. "I am well aware that past circumstances put us in a terrible position, so much so that you're now meeting Yuzuru Suoh for lunch instead of myself. I regret that fact very much."

"With all due respect Ootori-san…"

"I was always hoping that you would one day call me Father." He shook his head and looked out of the window. He surprised himself with his unusual candid replies. Haruhi suddenly felt a welling in her chest and blinked back tears (which she was surprised with).

"I…" She murmured as the limo came to a halt. The door opened to reveal the entrance of the hotel she was meeting Yuzuru Suoh at. Yoshio looked at Haruhi and gave a small, rare smile.

"I wish you happiness." And with that, Haruhi did the most unimaginable thing ever. She reached out to hug the older man.

"Thank you."

"Now, be gone." He waved her off and she climbed out of the limo, waving a good-bye before disappearing into the hotel. He looked at her retreating back and let out a sigh. Sighing was no good for him, really.

Haruhi Fujioka was no good for the Ootori men.

* * *

It seemed Yuzuru Suoh wanted nothing but the best to impress his future daughter-in-law. He was absolutely ecstatic on hearing the good news of the engagement (HA! Take that Yoshio!) as it meant he now had one more child to spoil. Ah, he looked forward to the grandchildren part already, all ready to convert one of the wings in the main house to be the children's wing.

Imagine his sheer horror when he spotted Haruhi hugging Yoshio Ootori. What! Was Haruhi having an affair with Yoshio! Seems like the trait of thinking too much was genetic in the Suoh family. Fortunately, his rational mind caught up with the deluded part of his mind, and he comforted himself that Yoshio was but a grumpy man having lost a great daughter-in-law. Ha!

But, looking at how lunch progressed, Yuzuru was not too sure if Haruhi actually liked him enough to hug him the way she hugged Yoshio. Really, what was in that man that warranted him a hug? She gave him one-worded replies, was very immune to his flirtatious ways and generally being unresponsive. Haruhi must have noticed his disappointment and she smiled a small smile at him.

"Future father-in-law, I am just a little tired." She said in an assuring manner and Yuzuru perked up.

"Oh! Have the wedding preparations been tiring you out? You must tell me! My son can be quite a handful sometimes." He noticed her wince slightly at the mention of his son.

"Tamaki is… very excited."

"Well, everyone should be! After all, he is marrying the person he wants to." Yuzuru beamed like a proud father and softened slightly. "Aren't you excited, Haruhi?"

She had been poking at her salad and looked up startled at his question. "Oh..um…" She stammered slightly. "Yeah. I am. Just that, I do have quite a bit of work to clear first."

"Work is never ending, till the day you die." He reminded her gently. Haruhi poked her salad further.

"I am just tired I guess." She responded lamely. "Perhaps I should go."

"I'll see you at the wedding then!" He decided to let her go, aware that she was not in an appropriate frame of mind right now. He offered to send the limo to bring her back, but she gamely said she would take the train back and since no one argues with Haruhi Fujioka, he let her leave.

"Is she really ready to get married?" He asked himself aloud. Yuzuru had in all honesty thought that Haruhi would end up with Kyoya . They complemented each other well, and were pretty much on a similar frequency. Tamaki could go off tangent sometimes, and it could be rather taxing to tune him back.

He had heard of what happened between the third Ootori son and Haruhi, first-hand from Yoshio no less. Despite being the eternal rivals they were, the two men were still the best of friends. Yoshio had confided in him one unexpected day that Kyoya had no choice but to back of the engagement with Haruhi. What he meant by no choice went unexplained, but it was clear that Yoshio regretted having to force Kyoya to make such a decision.

For all the donkey years that Yuzuru and Yoshio had squabbled and commiserated together, Yuzuru knew Yoshio had a soft spot for his third son. It was not apparent to most people, but Yuzuru saw the softened look in Yoshio's eyes when he talked of Kyoya. Or the slight inflection in his voice as he bragged about Kyoya's achievements. Ensuring his son's lifelong happiness was but what any father would have wanted.

But Yuzuru was a father himself too, and he also did everything he could to ensure his only son was happy. Haruhi seemed to be the key to that and he would do everything in his power to keep her for Tamaki, short of kidnapping her.

* * *

Ranka had taken the week off to prepare for Haruhi's wedding and was preparing dinner when Haruhi entered the house.

"Haruhi! How did the lunch go?" He asked as he stirred the soup.

"Ok. I wasn't talking very much though."

"Ah." _That Suoh father probably made up for the lack of conversation_ he thought dully.

"Dad?" Haruhi's questioning tone had him swinging around to look at her. Haruhi seldom asked him anything. He saw her chewing her bottom lip, which was something she rarely did since she hardly got nervous over anything.

"Yes sweetie?"

"How did you feel getting married to Mum?"

"Oh." He turned off the fire and looked at her again. He smiled gently. "Well, I was very excited, and somewhat petrified. I mean, I didn't earn much and your mother's family hated me so I didn't quite know what the future held. But the excitement on sharing a life with someone I loved outweighed the fear… something like butterflies in your stomach? You know?"

"Oh." She looked at the floor.

"Honey, is something wrong?" He asked, concerned when she did not speak for a while. He crossed over to lift her chin and was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Haruhi, what's wrong?" He asked frantically, unsure what he said to trigger off tears.

"I don't feel that way at all. I… I don't feel excited at all, or even scared. It's like I am immune to any feelings from getting married. It's as though… I don't want to get married at all." She sobbed into his chest, her small frame shaking from her sobbing.

Ranka stroked her hair and put his arms around his only daughter. He breathed in deeply.

"You don't have to get married if you don't want to you know." She cried even harder into his now-soaking t-shirt.

"I just want you to be happy, Haruhi." And yet again, for one of the very few times in his life, Ranka had never felt so helpless.

* * *

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	4. Day 3: Where Renge Enlightens

**Day 3: Where Renge Enlightens **

Renge Houshakuji drummed her finel y manicured nails on the table, waiting impatiently for her first appointment of the day. Her golden curls fell nicely around her shoulders, and her usual trademark bow headband was firmly on her head. Her face was one of utter boredom as she stared listlessly out of the window.

She caught a glimpse of her 'date' and beamed. She settled down into her chair and was pleased to see Haruhi walking into the café rather hurriedly, looking flustered.

"Renge, I am so sorry I was late. I woke up late today." Haruhi explained. Renge merely smiled and waved it off airily.

"Mou Haruhi! You're still so cute!" She exclaimed as she reached forward to kiss Haruhi on either cheek. Haruhi smiled slightly, somewhat used to Renge's antics. "So, why did you wake up late? And oh my, are those puffy eyes I spy? Were you crying?" She asked at a gunfire speed, making Haruhi snort in amusement. Some things really did not change.

"Well… I am fine. Just a little stressed over the wedding." Renge pursed her lips, not knowing whether she should opt for the irritated or saddened look.

"Haruhi… you do know that Kyoya never meant to leave you so cruelly right?" Haruhi bit her lip, looking away. She had hoped that Renege would not bring him up, but it was hard not for her to do so as Haruhi thought about it. After all, Renege had played a somewhat pivotal role in the entire debacle.

"Renege, that part of my life is over. I owe what I am now to Tamaki." Renge raised a finely plucked eyebrow. Haruhi's tea arrived and she sipped on it slowly.

"But feeling indebted to someone isn't really a good enough reason for marriage. It has to be out of love, no?" Renge prodded. Haruhi set her cup down.

"Love can be cultivated. It need not be there."

"But do you love Tamaki? Do you even think you can love him?" Renge pressed even further. Haruhi's confusion-stricken face was too apparent and Renge could not help but clasp the poor woman's hands in her own. "Mou Haruhi, I'm sorry for pressing you. It's just that… I can't help but feel it's been really unfair to Kyouya."

Haruhi smiled a small smile. "I am glad that there are people who still care for him."

"He still cares for you, that I am certain. Never mind, let's not talk about this and have our brunch as we planned to, ok?" And with that, the two dropped the topic and moved on to more pleasant subjects.

* * *

After nearly two hours of interesting topics ranging from the weather to what Renge was obsessed with currently, Haruhi finally excused herself to head back to the office. She smiled warmly when Renge promised to be there early for the wedding and bid her farewell. She smiled looking at Haruhi leave, and after she could not see Haruhi any longer, she snapped, "Come out, wherever you are."

The café was deserted. After all, she had booked out the entire café although Haruhi was none the wiser. Only one person would dare to eavesdrop on the conservation. The man stepped out from the shadows and chuckled.

"Ah, Renge, your observational skills are absolutely stellar!"

"Save your compliments for me, Tamaki." She scowled, annoyed to see the blonde. She noticed that he had grown in stature, looking even more dashing, she had to admit. No wonder he had little trouble getting into the booked-out café. He sat down, uninvited, opposite her.

"Have you no confidence in your future wife?" He smiled.

"I am just trying to protect her."

"Really?" She smirked. "Or are you simply afraid that she would slip away from you, back to your best friend?" His eyes clouded somewhat at the mention of that, his violet eyes becoming even more purplish.

"She made her decision to be with me. Nothing can change that."

Renge laced her fingers together and rested her head on them, looking straight at Tamaki. "Well, I would say you happened to be at the right place, at the right time, when she needed someone desperately to mend her broken heart. But she only sees you as a benefactor, not a lover, not a husband."

"And would you dare say you are not responsible for this?" Tamaki countered. "After all, you were the reason why Kyouya was forced to break his engagement." Renge's gaze sharpened, to the point of a glare (although she was taught never to glare at anyone, it was only polite not to).

"Yes, I admit that my father had gone overboard in demanding that Kyouya marry me. But who was really responsible for my father's adamant stand in that- that I was going to be an otaku forever and no man would dare marry me? Who put that idea in his head that Kyouya was the best candidate since I was obsessed with a video character that looked like him? I dare say you had something to do with that." Tamaki merely grinned.

"Mon cheri, you have absolutely no proof of that."

"You're just a fake, Tamaki!" She spat as she stood up to leave. "Remember this- You crossed me and I'll make you pay, one day."

"After my wedding, anything is fine. That's if you can touch me." Tamaki stood up as well, his gaze trained on her as well. For that split second, Renge was chilled to see the stare of a man who was determined to use whatever means to get what he wanted, but that look was but for a fleeting moment. She blinked when she saw him shift, his eyes now sparkling yet again (she really hated that sparkly look).

"I'll see you on the day of the wedding. Ja!"

Renge really hated Suoh Tamaki, make no mistake about that.

* * *

Haruhi let out a small sigh as she sat at her table, massaging her temples. It was not the work that was making her tired, but the entire wedding nonsense. She swiveled around to look at the landscape outside. Being one of the best and the brightest lawyers in her firm had secured her a fast-track career and an office with a great view.

Kyouya…. Thinking of his name made her heart ache even though it had been that long. When she had learnt that Kyouya had left her to marry Renge, she was in a state of utter disbelief. She had never thought of them of being in a secret relationship. But the truth started to trickle in, first from Fuyumi, then Hunny, then the twins, and finally, Yoshio Ootori himself. Renge's father was old, and he was hoping to see Renge married soon. But there was hardly a man Renge liked, given how she was still somewhat obsessed with her anime boys. Of course Renge dated here and there, but she was still young and the prospect of marrying at 24 was somewhat daunting.

And then, someone had put the thought of Kyouya as a good match into her father's head and he had insisted that Kyouya marry Renge, threatening to cut off all business ties with the Ootori empire. The Houshakuji's were an important business parter in Europe for the Ootoris and Kyouya had no choice but to fly over. But Kyouya worked with Renge to change her father's mind- how they did it Haruhi never knew, for by then, she was too heartbroken to care.

And that was when Tamaki had once again waltzed into her life and tried to pick up the pieces, putting them back together as best as he could. For that, Haruhi always felt she owed it to Tamaki. Yet, what Renge had told her today rang a chord in her heart.

Could she love Tamaki the way she loved Kyoya? She tried to convince herself that it was possible, but in her heart deep down, she knew she could not. She let out a sigh as she turned to her table, and unlocked a drawer.

She opened it and took out a small velvet box. She opened it, revealing a simple, but elegant diamond ring. She slipped it onto her finger, the ring placed on top of Tamaki's engagement ring.

The two rings were flawless, yet one of them somehow looked better on her, she though secretly. While Tamaki's ring had a dazzle to it (the diamond was huge), Kyoya's ring had a brilliant yet somewhat subtle shine to it. It reminded her of the way Kyouya showed his feelings- a quiet, fiery passion.

Just then, the door to her office banged open and she jumped.

"HaruhI! Let's have lunch!" Tamaki said cheerfully as he strode over to her table. She hurriedly slid the ring off her finger and pushed it into the drawer, locking it quickly. She smiled faintly at Tamaki, hoping as hell that he had not noticed what she had done.

"Sure, let me pack up and we can leave." She motioned to him to leave her alone, and pretended to shuffle some papers. Tamaki beamed and went outside. As he closed the door to her office, he allowed a look of hurt to cross his face.

He had done so much… yet she still compared Kyouya to him. He wanted to scream or kick something, but he knew that it was futile.

"Tamaki?" A voice besides him questioned. "You're blocking the door."

"Ah. Come let's go!" And he grabbed her hand, leading her to the elevator. If Haruhi was displeased by that action, she did not quite show it by pulling her hand away. She let him hold her hand, and Tamaki was somewhat calmed by the cool metal he felt around her third finger.

After all, it was his ring that she now wore and that was enough... for now.

* * *

Reviews please! A darker and more realistic side of Tamaki now comes out. Counting down to Day 7- the day of the wedding!


	5. Day 4: Where Haruhi Quakes

**Day 4: Where Haruhi Quakes Under the Almighty Fuyumi**

Haruhi was worn out. Tired. Irritated. And feeling a whole lot of negative feelings brides-to-be ordinarily should not be feeling just 3 days to their wedding. She had allowed herself to sink so deeply into a negative state when she had thrown a tissue box at Hikaru, who was pestering her with measurements yet again at another fitting.

"Honestly! The photos have been taken so why would you need to redesign the bloody dress?" She cried out exasperated. HIkaru and Kaoru looked somewhat shocked at her outburst, and looked at each other."I HATE THIS WEDDING. I HATE THIS. AND I HATE MYSELF!" She screamed in a very uncharacteristic Haruhi-way. Fortunately, Tamaki was not present that day as he had to attend a board meeting. The twins could only shudder at the mental image of a Tamaki-created hell. Make no mistake, Tamaki could be absolutely cruel when he wanted to be.

Haruhi then somewhat calmed down and bowed her head in defeat. "I am sorry for losing my temper. I'll leave first. I have to meet Fuyumi-nee san."

"Oh Haruhi." The twins walked over and hugged her, one on each side. "You still have time to decide, you know." Kaoru whispered. She merely nodded, and left.

"Mou Kaoru, do you think she will change her mind?" Kaoru could only look sadly at Hikaru.

"As much as I would want to see her change her mind, I doubt so…" He paused. "After all, Haruhi is a real stubborn woman."

* * *

Meeting Fuyumi for a pre-wedding 'beauty session' was not exactly what Haruhi had wanted, but the only Ootori daughter was clever enough to make use of Ranka. She had called up the Fujioka's residence and got Ranka into a frenzy on how Haruhi just needed to have a facial, spa, manicure, pedicure and so on just to look the prettiest bride ever in history. Haruhi sniffed. Ootoris knew how to manipulate well.

But that did not mean she did not want to see Fuyumi. On the contrary, she loved the older woman as a sister. Sa, she almost had her as a sister-in-law. But Haruhi refused to let her mind wander down such a track and braced herself as she entered the high-end saloon that Fuyumi had arranged for her to meet at.

"Haruhi!" Fuyumi exclaimed excitedly before she glomped the smaller woman. "Ah, you're just on time!"

"Fuyumi…."

"Mou…" She put a finger to Haruhi's forehead. "Call me nee-san ok? I always wanted a younger sister. Come let's start!" _Even though I nearly did had you as my sister-in-law_ Fuyumi thought inwardly. Haruhi merely let out a huge sigh and hung her head low. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Fuyumi settled into the seat, looking over the swatch palettes for the manicure and pedicure. The manicurist was working on Haruhi's hands, busy filing and shaping her nails. Fuyumi flipped over a page and pointed a pretty, nude shade.

"Haruhi, I think this looks good! You should get some nail art done as well." Haruhi looked over at the proposed colour and shrugged.

"Anything's fine. What's the big deal anyway?" She grumbled. This was turning out to be a huge waste of time but since it was Fuyumi, she really had no other choice. Fuyumi's jaw nearly dropped when she heard that.

"HARUHI! You're getting married! That's a super big deal!" Haruhi looked at Fuyumi's stricken face and chuckled.

"Fuyumi nee-san, yeah I know. But… it's only for a day. I mean, I go back to looking my normal self after I get married. "

"Precisely! It's only for one day! Unless you plan to get married again, your wedding should be a very special day. After all, it's the day when you finally entrust your future to one person." Haruhi snorted.

"I have to disagree with that Fuyumi nee-san. Who knows if it ends up in divorce? I have seen enough cases to know that a lot of people don't quite take their vows seriously in this day and age." Fuyumi furrowed her eyebrows.

"That means… you're already expecting something like that to happen? Then why get married?"

"I am just being practical."

"No, this is not practical at all. It's being… cynical. And no one is allowed to be cynical on their wedding day…" She paused, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Unless you don't really love that person enough to want to get married to that person."

Haruhi frowned and looked down at her nails. "What do you mean by that, Fuyumi nee-san?"

Fuyumi smiled gently. "It just means that you aren't ready to trust the person with your future enough to believe that things will work out. If that's the case, it only means you aren't ready to marry the person."

"Were you excited about your wedding, Fuyumi nee-san? I mean, it was an arranged marriage and all."

Fuyumi smiled at the memory of her wedding. Oh yes, she had been hell nervous, not sure if the marriage would work out since it was after all, an arranged marriage. But, there was something she posseseed that allowed her to go through the ceremony as a blushing, radiant bride. And it was not the makeup. "I believed in it, Haruhi. I believed that my husband would take care of me, no matter what happened. Even though I may not have loved him then, but I believed that it would all work out fine. And that made me excited. To know that there was someone I could believe in and trust."

Haruhi bit her lip, a habit she had developed recently since the wedding preparations started. Fuyumi's next question hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Haruhi, do you believe enough in Tamaki to want to entrust your entire life to him?" She looked up at Fuyumi, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide. She fell silent.

"I…" She closed her eyes and tried to focus. Did she? Could she? Why was she not saying 'Yes' immediately to Fuyumi? Why was it so that there was something that was stopping her from saying so? It should not be the case. Tamaki was her future, but why was it that she could not help but think of Kyoya?

"Maybe it's because you have placed that belief in someone else." Fuyumi said gently, her hand now on Haruhi's. "And you never quite took that belief back." Fuyumi's words hung in the air, an unspoken comprehension between the two women.

"Ok, it's done." The long-forgotten manicurist announced and Fuyumi took Haruhi's hand and lifted it up, looking at the newly polished nails. It was a simple French manicure, but it certainly made Haruhi's hands look very elegant.

"There, you look the part of a bride-to-be." Fuyumi beamed.

"Fuyumi nee-san…"

"But whether you believe enough in it to assume that role… you have to decide for yourself Haruhi." Fuyumi patted Haruhi's hand. "Trust your heart. Don't let your mind overrule it all the time, if not one day, your heart will shut up and stop saying anything."

"It probably has shut up already." Haruhi said softly. She was getting tired again. Indeed, her heart had long shut up in the aftermath of Kyoya's leaving. Everything about this wedding was rational. Tamaki had been there to help pick up the pieces and treated her with nothing but dignity, love and respect. That should have been enough to make any girl swoon. When he had proposed, it was the only sensible thing to do- to say yes to the enormously expensive ring and the bright rose-petal strewn future.

Sensible things… was a marriage just about sensibility? From what Fuyumi had told her, hardly. And honestly, Haruhi knew that she did not need Fuyumi to tell her all that. It was something that she had denied herself, something she had repressed. Her mind had failed where her heart had chosen- and she had little left of what her heart had already chosen to give to Tamaki.

It was not fair to Tamaki.

"There is nothing certain in any relationship. But it's the uncertainty that only makes everything more beautiful. The only thing then left is… are you willing to take on that uncertainty with Tamaki now?"

"Fuyumi nee-san…." And that was all Haruhi could say as she contemplated Fuyumi's words.

* * *

Fuyumi had Haruhi dropped off at her office and sipped her after-massage tea at the saloon. She flipped through a magazine.

"And how long are you planning to ignore me for?" A voice she had missed quite dearly sounded from behind the wooden panels that obscured her and Haruhi's view from the manicurists' workstation.

"Well, I was waiting for you to introduce yourself. It's been a while, my little brother." She smiled as she got up to hug the raven-haired man.

"I never knew you could come up with something so sappy. Such uncertainty is even more beautiful?" He snorted.

"Oh Kyouya… But now that you've seen her, what do you think?"

"She's beautiful. As expected of Tamaki's bride-to-be." His heart ached as he said those words. Fuyumi smiled, aware of the inner emotional turmoil that her younger brother was going through. She would have loved to help him out, but it was not her place, or time to do so.

* * *

Haruhi switched on her computer and googled for something. Fuyumi's last words had struck a certain chord in her. And there, she found her answer.

_They are both convinced_

_That a sudden passion joined them_

_Such certainty is beautiful_

_Such uncertainty is even more beautiful_

-Wislawa Szymborska

She unlocked her drawer and rummaged through the contents. Finally, she produced a card and anxiously opened it. There, in Kyoya's fine handwriting held the same quote. Her heart had reached out to Kyoya a long time ago, and she was convinced now that she could never get it back. No, the uncertainty of being with Kyoya was what she truly believed in, and it was the beauty in such uncertainty She slumped into her office chair, head tilted to the ceiling.

"Oh mother in heaven…"

* * *

Reviews are appreciated! Thank you very much to my faithful reviewers. Kyoya is finally back!


	6. Day 5: Where Kyouya is Counselled

Thank you all for the lovely reviews. Please review!

**Day 5: Where Kyouya is Counselled by the Wise Ones. **

Kyouya unbuttoned the cuffs of his long-sleeved shirt and rolled up his sleeves. He shrugged off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table. It had been a while since he had been back in his room. He closed his eyes and leaned against the couch.

He saw only Haruhi. The little smile of contentment as she allowed herself to enjoy the little pleasures of being pampered, which he was certain did not happen too often. She still looked beautiful, even more if he dared say. Perhaps it had to do with the radiance from getting married soon? His heart twisted at the mere thought of her wedding- the wedding that should have been rightfully his. His thoughts were soon interrupted by a shrill ringing tone and he grimaced. No one should have known of his return… well, not unless Fuyumi….

"Ne Kyouya! We heard you are back..."

"And we so want to meet you for your best man fitting!"

"HOW did you know I was back already?" He questioned but he was cut off as the door to his bedroom slammed open and the two wedding planners bounded in. Oh great.

"As the wedding planners, it is our duty to know everything!" Hikaru said slyly, and held up an outfit. So, the two had come prepared. Kyouya resigned himself to being dressed up, with sleeves pulled on as the twins clucked.

"Hikaru, too long."

"I think we need to cut this a bit more."

"Nice cut though…wow, no fats." Kyouya yelped as Kaoru poked suddenly at his abs. "Someone's been keeping his figure in shape."

"I would appreciate it if the both of you finish this quickly so I can get back to my engagements."

"Ne Kyouya, why are you always so busy? Take some time off! Tono seems pretty stressed."

Kyouya snorted. "Tamaki? That guy will only make me even more stressed out." Hikaru chewed on his pen thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you didn't know, but Haruhi seems to be having second thoughts of the wedding. Oh hang on a minute." Hikaru looked at his buzzing phone with an annoyed expression. "Ah, I've got to take this call." He left the room, leaving Kaoru with Kyouya.

"Oh?" Kyouya looked at the other twin, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

"Well, that's what we think." Kaoru said quietly. "She doesn't look as happy as she should be, for a bride to be."

"And what proof do you have?" Kaoru zipped open his laptop case and took out his laptop. He opened a folder and browsed through the photos. Kyouya stared at the wedding photos that Tamaki and Haruhi had taken earlier in the week, a dull, buzzing ache in his heart starting again.

"She…she looks happy." He finished lamely. Kaoru rolled his eyes and opened another folder.

"As happy as this?" Kyouya shot up immediately, aghast.

"Where the hell did you get this?" He shouted at Kaoru, who by now had shut his laptop and put it out of reach of the distinctly riled up Kyouya. "These were…"

"Well, I stole them from Haruhi. Do you see the difference? She's actually happy in those!"

"She's just as happy, or even more happy with Tamaki!" Kyouya raised his voice, the buzzing in his ears refusing to die down.

"Stop lying to yourself. She's only happy when she's around you! Damn it!" Hikaru shouted, having entered the room earlier and witnessing the entire conversation. "You leave her and then you expect your best friend to pick up the pieces! And you think she's happier that way? What's wrong with you."

"Hikaru, that's enough." Kaoru said calmly, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Kyouya, I think we're done for today. We'll send you your suit tomorrow. Hikaru, let's go." Hikaru cast a look of utter disgust and disdain at Kyouya before stomping out. Kaoru stopped in front of Kyouya and looked straight at him.

"There's only one thing I am certain of- she still loves you."

* * *

Haruhi sat in the huge restaurant eating quietly as Tamaki launched into one of his excited tirades of the wedding and all. He finally stopped when he realised she had not uttered a word. His eyes held a look of sadness briefly before it changed quickly and he touched her hand. She looked up from her dinner at him.

"Haruhi, is everything alright?" She bit her lip.

"Yes." _Liar. _She thought inwardly. Tamaki brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently.

"Haruhi, there's nothing I won't do for you. You know that right?" Her eyes started to tear as she felt her inner defenses breaking down. She had reached breaking point a long time ago, and she felt like a drowning man grasping at straws. This was unfair.

But life was unfair, and Haruhi had learnt that from an early age. Before she could respond, the matre d'waiter's voice could be heard clearly in the silent (and booked out) restaurant.

"Ootori-san, I am sorry but we're booked out today." Haruhi stiffened and Tamaki got up quickly.

"I'll go over to say hi." Haruhi nodded weakly and sank back into her seat as Tamaki disappeared from her sight. She looked at the engagement ring sitting on third finger, the huge diamond catching the rays from the light. It was brilliant, flawless and yet, so hollow. Yes, this was what she had felt of the wedding ever since she had said "Yes" to Tamaki's proposal. Yes, this was what Haruhi had now been reduced to. An intellectually brilliant, physically flawless yet emotionally hollow being.

Before she could bolt out of the restaurant (logic dictated her not to), Tamaki walked back and sat down with a smile on his face.

"Kyouya's father said he will come for the wedding."

"Oh." She was slightly disappointed, hoping that it had been Kyouya. She shook away that thought and continued eating. Tamaki's smile dimmed slightly. The little hope that he had clung to selfishly of keeping her by his side for just a while more still burned strongly, as he lied to her about the return of his best friend and greatest love rival.

* * *

Kyouya stirred his coffee absentmindedly. Tamaki had been delighted to see him at the restaurant, although he regretfully said that he was having lunch with his father over some business matters and could not talk to him more. He smiled at Tamaki's exuberance in seeing him and agreed to meet the blonde sometime later in the day.

"Ah, is that Kyou-chan?" He looked up to see Hunny and Mori walking up to him. Hunny had not changed much since he last saw him, and Mori still looked the same. Hunny beamed at the younger man and took a seat next to him. "Are you here for cake too, Kyou-chan?"

"Not really. Just coffee. I saw Tamaki earlier. He was having lunch with his father."

"Oh?" HUnny looked at Mori with a quizzical expression. "But.. Tama-chan is supposed to lunch with Haru-chan today."

Kyouya blinked. He lowered his head, and looked up again at the two seniors. "Well, it doesn't matter who he's meeting, isn't it?" Hunny noticed the slight strain in his smile.

"You know, living in denial isn't exactly very good." Hunny mentioned as he bit into his strawberry cake which Mori had ordered for him earlier. "Right, Takashi?" The quiet senior nodded in agreement. Somehow, Hunny always knew the right thing to say, at the right time.

"Tamaki doesn't deserve this."

"Nor do you."

"Or Haruhi for that matter." Mori spoke up. Kyouya looked at him, surprised. It was rare that Mori spoke up, and even more so for Haruhi. But then again, Kyouya had always suspected Mori had a soft spot for Haruhi, as most of the host club he thought wryly.

"Let's not have this conversation." Kyouya said, draining his coffee. He could feel a headache coming on. He had to stop thinking. He had to start breathing. He had to…

"Stop denying." Hunny finished his thoughts and set his fork down on the now empty plate. It perturbed him to no end how perceptive the smaller senior could be. Hunny smiled at Kyouya. "And I'll tell you a little secret, Kyou-chan. Come closer! Takashi, no eavesdropping!"

Kyouya sighed, unsure of what antics Hunny was up to and leaned over. "You know, I am not planning to buy a wedding present."

"Huh?" Hunny giggled.

"Silly. The wedding isn't going to happen."

* * *

Kyouya went home after his somewhat weird, but interesting meeting with Hunny. Tamaki called once to apologise that he was rather busy with the wedding preparations and Kyouya never pressed on the issue of who he actually lunched with. He knew what Tamaki was afraid. Who wouldn't be apprehensive of their fiancé meeting their ex-fiancée?

But the words from his friends still rang in his ears, and he finally decided to go for a late night stroll. The night was somewhat cold for a nearly end-spring day, and he dug his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. The streets were deserted and he took a few turns, somehow ending up in the park that he used to frequent with Haruhi.

It seemed like such a long time ago, yet it had been barely been a year since things had ended for them. He had not meant to leave Haruhi behind then. His plan had been to come back to her and make her his, but it seemed even the best of plans would fail the best of men. He let out a sigh and stopped.

A petite figure stood opposite him and was similarly frozen in place.

"Kyouya?"

* * *

Reviews please! :)


	7. Day 6: Where Nothing Matters

Thank you all for your lovely reviews! I loved reading each review, and yes I could not agree more with SarahNThatcher. Train wreck or not, here we come. Cookies to Meganes Ultimate Fangirl, Scherherazade, flamingbunnies, Agent Twinkle Toes and Ayaka Haninozuka Sohma (plus one more anonymous review!)

**Day 6: Where Nothing Seems to Matter**

"Haruhi." Was all that Kyouya could utter in return. They stared at each other, a torrent of emotions and thoughts rushing through their heads. Thinking of a person was one thing- actually seeing the person in the real flesh and just a few metres away was something else.

"It's late." Kyouya stated and Haruhi snorted.

"That's pretty obvious."

"It's not safe for you to be out here alone."

"Same for you."

"You're a woman, Haruhi."

"And when has that ever stopped me?" He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He adjusted his glasses. "Am I making you nervous, Kyouya?" He looked at her, somewhat startled.

"You always do." He said simply, and with that, Haruhi crumbled within totally. Her expression was bland, one bordering on distaste. She turned away, unwilling for her façade to shatter so quickly. It took all of her willpower to not propel herself towards him, to hug him and ask him to make the world seem right again.

"I have to go. It's late." She backed off but she was too slow for Kyouya.

"Haruhi, look at me." Kyouya had stepped closer to her, as she inched backwards subconsciously. He grabbed her hand and tilted her chin upwards, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. Those oynx eyes in contrast with the violet ones were absolutely beautiful and stunning. She felt herself drowning in them all over again, her tears that started to form blurring her vision.

"Don't touch me!" She snapped, as she jerked away. "What do you think you are doing!"

"Haruhi."

"Don't say my name with such familiarity!" She glared at him, a wave of anger and sadness washing over her. She could not think properly with him being so close to her. The same space, the same air they breathed... no, this was not the time to be weak. Her voice softened.

"You don't expect to waltz back into a life you left and hope that things stayed the same." Kyouya chuckled bitterly.

"I never did."

"Then why are you here?"

"It's not a question of why I am here. It's more of why you are here. I am a man who has lost his world, and can only rely on the memories to recreate that world he was so happy in…" He paused, moving slowly towards her, ensuring she did not bolt suddenly. "But you are different. You have a new world to look forward to. So the question is, why are you here, back in this old world?" He reached out, his arms placed gently on her shoulders.

"I shouldn't be here." Haruhi said softly and closed her eyes. "Maybe I just cannot leave this world behind."

"Then don't."

"No." She opened her eyes to look at him. "Kyouya… I am getting married to your best friend. When you left, Tamaki picked up the pieces and glued back a world I now know as my own. I know you had your reasons for leaving…" Renge has filled her in with all the details, begging her for forgiveness the moment she had the chance to fly to Japan to which Haruhi had merely hugged the poor girl. "But I owe Tamaki for this."

Kyouya let his hands drop to his sides and he smiled somewhat bitterly. "You're right. I have been acting foolishly. I apologise."

She bit her lip. "I will take my leave now." And as she turned to leave, she heard Kyouya ask,

"But do you love him?" She did not answer, her tears blurring her vision as she walked on and out of the old world she knew and to the new world she was now in.

The first rays of the sun peeked from the clouds, signaling the dawn of a new day. And as Kyouya watched her leave, he realised there was water on his face.

He was crying.

* * *

The day went by in a whirl at the Fujioka household as the twins and Ranka busied themselves with the last minute preparations. The twins barked orders into cellphones, looking through lists upon lists while Ranka busied himself with preparing tea and entertaining well-wishers who wanted to drop by. Haruhi found herself having to deal with the mountain of wedding presents from people who could not make it for the wedding, and felt a hint of headache coming on.

Finally, it was nightfall and the twins decided that everything was complete, Ranka had seen off the last of the well-wishers and Haruhi had catalogued the final wedding present. The four of them flopped onto the couch which Tamaki had sent over earlier in the afternoon, much to Haruhi's chagrin seeing that the apartment was small enough.

"Hikaru, let's give Haruhi her wedding present!" Kaoru poked Hikaru. The twins stood up and scrambled around the apartment, much to Haruhi's and Ranka's amusement. They finally located the said wedding present and held it aloft.

Haruhi was just glad it was a little box, and not something lavishly big. She smiled as she took the box from them. "Hikaru, Kaoru, you shouldn't have."

"Open it!" Hikaru said excitedly. Kaoru grinned besides him. She hmmphed and unwrapped the present gingerly. She laughed when she saw that it was a lovely cute pendant fashioned after the ill-fated vase she had broke back in Year 1 for high school.

"Look at the back!" She turned the pendant back.

"Stay happy forever, Haruhi." She read out aloud. She looked at the twins and reached out to hug them. "Thank you."

"Haruhi, we want you to be happy forever." Hikaru's breath tickled her neck. He held on tightly to her shoulder, unwilling to let her go.

"And it doesn't matter… with who." Kaoru whispered softly. Haruhi felt the tears forming in her eyes again. The twins released her and looked at her with soft expressions on their faces.

"You know what we mean."

* * *

Kyouya slumped over his table, the near empty bottle of whisky next to him. He twirled his glass, staring blankly ahead. He did not dare to close his eyes because he would only see Haruhi- his perfect, beautiful and lovely Haruhi. It had torn his stone heart apart when he had left her that note saying that he was sorry. After all, he had been standing just outside the apartment as he heard her sobs.

He had to leave her because the situation then called for it. Renge's father seemed bent on making him his son-in-law and it was important to dissuade him from having such an idea. What he had not counted on was his best friend stepping in to fill that void he had created, and being elevated to that of... well, a marriage partner. His heart twisted. He had not thought of Tamaki as betraying him, but rather, of him having failed at his duty in taking care of Haruhi and naturally having it passed on to the next worthy person.

But it had hurt more than he had imagined.

_It's a quarter after one,  
I'm all alone  
And I need you now_

He glanced at his handphone. There were a couple of missed calls from Tamaki but he really did not have the mood to pick up his calls. He fingered the buttons and scrolled to Haruhi's name. He pressed the 'Call' button and listened to the drone of the dial tone.

_I said I wouldn't call  
But I've lost all control  
And I need you now**_

The phone clicked. "Hello?" He felt his breath hitch. The person on the other side paused.

"Kyouya?"

"See you tomorrow, Haruhi." He ended the call, and started crying.

* * *

Tamaki stared his handphone. All his calls to Kyouya had gone unanswered, and the last he had heard of Kyouya from Fuyumi was that Kyouya had shut himself in his room all day. He glanced at a photograph of Kyouya and himself, taken after their graduation at Ouran High School. He looked at the engagement ring which sat proudly on his third finger.

So what if he had Haruhi, the one and only woman he had wanted since high school? He had her in person, but her heart wasn't with him. For all the idiocy that Tamaki exhibited, he was not stupid. He could see the distant look in Haruhi's eyes everytime they were together.

And his best friend? Lost to misery and a lifetime of regret. Tamaki had not meant to tell Renge's father all that stuff of Renge not getting married and all- he had drunk a bit too much at a party Renge's father hosted in France. At that time, Kyouya had just called him to tell him he had proposed to Haruhi and he was in a deep funk, hence the slight tipsyness. The older Houshakuji had started complaining of how Renge seemed not to want to settle down soon, and Tamaki had started ranting on about everything.

Tamaki had immediately regretted it the next day when he woke up with a huge hangover, and a sense of dread that he had done something terribly wrong. And that was when news came of Kyouya having to break off the engagement and flying to France to settle everything. All the shit that Tamaki had caused.

It seemed as though the gods had bestowed that chance for Tamaki to make everything right then- by helping Haruhi get back on her feet. The darker side of Tamaki had insisted he take advantage of the situation by replacing Kyouya.

But now, on the eve of his wedding day, Tamaki was not too sure if it was all worth it at the end of the day.

* * *

Haruhi stared at her phone. She did not what to think, or do anymore. She fought back the tears. She was done crying, or so she thought.

She stared at the wedding dress which was hung up on her cupboard door.

It was not her dream wedding dress. She glanced at her ring. It was not her dream engagement ring.

The only question remaining was, why the hell was she still not doing anything?

And Haruhi had no answer to the only question that actually mattered.

* * *

Kyouya blinked back weariness as he lifted himself from the table and stumbled to the windows. He drew back the curtains to see the sun rise. He let the curtains fall back again.

The tinkling of piano keys could be heard in the Souh household as the maids scuttled about when day broke. Today was the young master's big day, but they wondered why the tune he was currently playing sounded so sorrowful.

Haruhi woke up to puffy eyes, which Ranka upon seeing them, hugged her tightly and stroked her head, whispering that everything would be alright. The twins who had stayed over at the house merely looked at each other over her head.

Huni and Mori trained together, as they always did. Huni had finally bought a wedding present at Mori's unusual but firm insistence. It sat nicely in a corner of the dojo, waiting to be picked up after their bath.

Renege drummed her fingers on the dresser of her hotel room, having called her father earlier and screaming at him for the past four hours as dawn broke. It seemed he had finally gotten the message that he had screwed up very badly and had allowed Renege to remain in Tokyo until she was over her anger.

Fuyumi nursed her fourth child, and wondered what she should wear to the wedding. She smiled a sad smile, cooing to her child that it was just not meant to be- that Haruhi would be the child's auntie.

Yuzuru Suoh opened the newspapers and his heart swelled with pride as he scanned the headlines which screamed 'Wedding of the Year to happen soon!'

Yoshio Ootori sipped his coffee as he opened the same newspaper Yuzuru had been reading and set his cup down as he read the headline. He let out a small sigh.

The sun rose slowly over the Tokyo skyline, its golden beams bursting through the clouds. The day had finally arrived.

It was time for the wedding.

* * *

Reviews please! ** song is Need You Now by Lady Antebellum.


	8. Day 7: The End

I had this written out a long time ago, way before I had the other chapters planned out. I am too excited to keep this to myself, hence I am uploading this in a little less than 24 hours after the earlier chapter had gone up. This was the way I always meant for it to end. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and please review!

**Day 7/0: The. End. **

Haruhi was waiting in the side room, her hair and make-up finally done. She stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was put up in a loose bun, with loose strands falling nicely to frame her face. The make-up artist did a very good job of hiding the eyebags, and bringing out some sort of radiance with the shimmer and all.

She smiled at herself.

No, it didn't work. She gave up and stared at the bouquet in her hands. Was she really ready to get married? Oh yes, her father had slipped her a note just before he had been shooed out of the room by the stylists. She rummaged through the drawers she had chucked it away in, and unfolded the piece of paper.

"_Haruhi, papa has a secret to tell you. The key to knowing whether you love a person… is in a kiss._" Just then, the door to the room opened.

"Tamaki!" She gasped. "You aren't supposed to be here!" She gave him a disproving look. He smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I haven't seen you in a while and I wanted to make sure you are still here." Her heart twisted slightly at his words. She glanced at the note she held.

"Tamaki… Could you kiss me?" He looked at her, confused.

"But we can do it later…"

"Please, just once. Now." She pleaded. She had to know. And to her relief, he nodded slowly and lowered his head towards hers. Their lips met and Tamaki nibbled slightly on her bottom lip to gain access into her mouth. His tongue ran over hers, and he savoured the sensation of kissing her thoroughly. He had not kissed her before, as surprising as it sounded. The furthest he had gotten was press of the lips and this was truly unforgettable.

But, something was missing. And as they drew back, Tamaki looked at Haruhi. Her eyes gave her away. She knew.

He knew. They both knew. The passion was not existent; it was merely a pleasant kiss. There was nothing else to it beyond the surface. It was just as their relationship was- shallow, and nothing deeper than that. And Tamaki took one last look at Haruhi and bolted from the room.

* * *

Finally, it was the day of the highly anticipated wedding of the year. The guests were all seated, the weather was brilliant, the birds were chirping, and in short, everything was perfect. Hunny sat at the front row together with Takashi, doing what he did best- observe. The twins had appointed themselves as the official wedding planners this time. Hunny thought that this was their way of dealing with the disappointment that Haruhi was now going to share a life with another person who was not either of them. They were bustling about, giving last-minute instructions for the crème de la finale of their planning- the entrance of the bride. Hunny gave a small smile, glad that they had factored in his suggestion of having a 10-tier strawberry cake. He shifted his glance from the door of the church to the altar.

The groom stood there, muttering somewhat incoherently to himself. Poor Tama-chan, he was probably nervous like anything. If he ever messed up, Hunny was pretty certain Ranka-san would banish his future son-in-law to the depths of hell and would hold a grudge against him till his last days on earth. His nervousness was a complete opposite to the aloof, calm and collected greek-god stature the best man next to him cut.

Ah, Kyou-chan, looking as handsome as ever. He wore contacts specifically for today, and looked even better. Time had been kind to them all, but Hunny had always thought Kyouya was the one who matured the best. Kyouya looked mildly irritated with Tamaki's incessant questioning every five seconds, and seemed quite ready to murder the poor groom.

But, there was something else to Kyouya that Hunny saw, which very few or even perhaps no one did. He saw a slight waver in those oynx eyes no longer obscured by the glint of his spectacles, a slight wrangling of hands and an occasional bite of the lip- very uncharacteristic of Kyou-chan indeed.

"Ne Takashi, do you think something will happen today?" He looked up to the stoic man who sat next to him. Mori looked at his cousin, not quite decided what his cousin meant.

"I think…" He motioned for his cousin to bend down so he could whisper into his ear. "… we shouldn't have bought the wedding present after all."

"Ah." And before Mori could ask any further, the twins had given the cue for the wedding march to be played. The guests shifted in their seats to look at the church doors opening slowly, a flurry of rose petals descending from the wedding arch. The groom and his best man turned to look at the entrance, where …

Ranka stood, very alone. He was dressed formally in a tuxedo although his long hair had been pulled back into a rather stylish manish ponytail. The guests started to murmur and the twins were mortified.

"Fujioka –papa! Where's Haruhi!" Hikaru asked anxiously. Ranka cleared his throat.

"Ah, Haruhi ran off."

And with that, chaos erupted.

Tamaki had nearly fainted with the news, if not for Kaoru who was standing near the former Host Club King who managed to break the fall. Hikaru started jabbering angrily into the walkie-talkie, harassing Ranka at the same time. Kyouya, on the other hand, had merely stood rigidly at the side, seemingly detached from the entire situation.

"Haruhi…" Tamaki whimpered in Karou's arms. Yuzuru Suoh was shouting at Yoshio Ootori who had probably made some pointless comment, and the guests started to speculate even louder. Hunny got up from his seat and walked towards the altar.

"Kyou-chan." He addressed simply. Kyouya looked at his former sempai. Hunny merely smiled at him.

"Go find her." He gave Kyouya a small push in the direction of the door. Kyouya was startled, but did not further prompting as his legs carried him as quickly as he could out of the church. Tamaki was stunned, and merely started to grow hysterical.

"Tono! Get a hold on yourself!" Kaoru tried consoling the now-hysterical groom. Hunny let out a small sigh as Mori stood next to him. Tamaki tried to stand up to run in the direction that Kyouya had taken off from, but Hunny put up his hand at him.

"Tama-chan, let him go." He said softly. Tamaki staggered, and Ranka who by now had managed to scream Hikaru's questioning down and was by Tamaki's side, merely placed a hand on Hunny's shoulder.

"You knew, didn't you Hunny-san?"

Hunny merely smiled. Oh yes, he had known this would happen. In fact, he had known a week ago and he was pretty sure that he was not the only one who knew. He glanced at Hikaru and Kaoru who both had a guilt-stricken expression on their faces as they tried to comfort their king, Yoshio Ootori who merely had a smirk on his face and Yuzuru Suoh who looked puzzled and decidedly lost. Ranka on the other hand, had a look of sadness mixed with relief.

"Takashi, will he find her?" He asked the taller man, smiling. Tamaki had grown quiet on hearing Hunny's question while Hikaru and Kaoru looked with interest at Mori.

"Definitely." And Tamaki started wailing, the whole waterworks and fireworks ensemble starting up again. It was a disaster in the making. And all this, in a mere… 7 days ago.

Hunny motioned to his cousin to bend down and whispered into his ear, "We really shouldn't have bought that present after all."

* * *

Her legs were giving out slowly but she willed her mind to continue on. She had discarded her heels a while back, her feet pounding the hot gravel of the sidewalk. Traffic honked around her as she blindly propelled herself forward into the thick of the Tokyo city.

Her dress was ripped but she did not care anymore. There was only one thing she had in her mind- and that was to run. And run was what she did. But she finally ran out of breath, the weight of the dress finally bogging her down. She breathed heavily as she keeled over a grassy patch, oblivious to the pointed stares and whispers around her.

Pounding footsteps behind her stopped and she instinctively tried to push herself up to run, again. But strong arms encircled her small frame, and she stilled as her captor hissed into her ear, "Haruhi, stop."

"Let me go."

"No." His voice was firm, but wavered slightly. She was too distraught to notice that, only determined to make her plea louder.

"Kyoyua, let me go." She blinked as his arms around her relaxed, only to have them turning her around to face him.

"No." And before she could respond any further, his lips had smashed into hers. She let out a surprised yelp, only for him to take advantage of it by slipping his tongue into her mouth. It was not an unfamiliar feeling, and she gave into it, returning the kiss with unrivalled hunger.

It was a kiss full of untold longing, sorrow, suffering and above all, love. A kiss that tasted so sweet, yet so very bitter at the same time. Haruhi knew then what her father meant. Neither wanted it to end, even though the rationality of their minds screamed it out loud and clear. She did not realize that tears had started to form as she fisted her hands in his dress shirt. He tasted the salt on her lips, and his hands were now cupping her face, his thumbs unconsciously smoothing away the tears.

He was the one to break away, his hands still on her face. She did not have to ask why, for she knew the answer as well as he did. His oynx eyes bore into her brown ones, the contacts that he wore for today making the hurt, guilt and the sorrow he now experienced painfully obvious.

"Kyouya." He no longer cupped her face, but held out a hand to her.

"I've been entrusted to bring you back for the wedding." He bit his lip, an uncharacteristic action and looked away briefly, before looking at her again. "Your wedding." Her wedding. What did it sound so foreign to her now parched throat, offering no relief? She smiled bitterly, her once bunned hair up now let loose, teased gently by the wind.

She had never looked more beautiful. And Kyoya knew he was damned. Damned from the very moment he had laid eyes on her as she stepped through the door of the Ouran High School Music Room Number 3. He was damned through and through and what would it matter for him to continue doing so? He turned away, afraid that he would lose his self-control and sweep her away.

"I love you."

He turned to look at her, startled. She stood on the grass patch, her torn veil flowing in the wind, her eyes unwavering, looking at him. The entire world around them did not seem to matter- what mattered was just them. Their world.

"I love you." She repeated. "But if you don't want to react to that, then let's go."She soothed out the now wrinkled wedding dress, as if it could be saved given how thoroughly she had ruined it. She started to walk when she suddenly found herself hoisted up in his arms, bridal style. The negativity in his eyes was now replaced with a fierce and defiant stare and she shuddered inwardly.

"Damn it all." He said softly and started to run, with her in his arms.

* * *

"What do you mean by you can't find them!" Hikaru thundered into the phone. "Find them NOW!" He was about to slam the phone into the nearest wall when a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up to see Tamaki smiling softly.

"Let them go, Hikaru."

"Tono…"

"I am not the one Haruhi loves." He stated simply. The group looked at him, very much alone in the church, now that the wedding guests had left. "Fujioka-papa was right. You can tell whether you love a person through a kiss." He looked at Ranka, who smiled at him.

"_Tamaki!" Ranka called out to the groom who was about to enter the church. He turned to look at his future father-in-law run after him. _

"_Eh?"_

"_Could you please," He panted, trying to catch his breath and Tamaki patted his back with concern. "Please go to Haruhi and kiss her?"_

"_NANI?" Tamaki jumped back in surprise and started turning a deep shade of red. "But… we … I have never kissed her before."_

"_Yes, please do. She needs to know who she loves." _

"_but…"_

"_Tamaki." Ranka placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders and looked at him squarely in the eyes. "I am giving you permission to do the one thing you've wanted to do forever. I am sure you want to know the answer as well."_

"_But…"_

"_Please. For my sake." _

"Tama-chan, I am sure you will find someone who will make you happy." Hunny walked up to Tamaki and held out his arms. "Group hug!" He called out and the twins, Mori and himself surrounded the blonde.

And Tamaki could only let his tears fall freely as his group of friends comforted him.

* * *

Kyouya carried Haruhi into his house, having managed to channel some incredible divine strength by running with her in his arms and walked up the stairs to his room.

"Let me down, Kyouya." Haruhi complained as he climbed up the stairs. He looked at her and chuckled.

"Never. Besides, you couldn't last the gravel with those feet of yours." She looked at her bare feet, feeling somewhat warmed by his consideration. He let her down gently on the couch, and sat besides her. They felt an acute sense of awkwardness, the heady rush of having run away from a wedding suddenly over.

Kyouya glanced over at Haruhi who was twiddling her thumbs. He took in her entire being, her ripped wedding gown and all. This was a woman who had completely collapsed when he had left her, and yet walked out of her own wedding to come back to him. A woman who had given him everything.

"Haruhi." She turned to look at him, her chocolate orbs boring into his oynx ones. "I am sorry for everything that I caused you. I wanted to tell you what had happened when I left you, but I was afraid of the possibility that Renege's father might have wanted to hurt you if I told him that I didn't want to marry Renge for you. I was a fool, as always. I should have told you…" She brought a finger to his lips and silenced him with a smile.

"Kyouya, you talk too much." She brought her finger down and leaned into his embrace, the familiar rush of emotions overtaking her as she let herself be held. She missed his arms, his smell, the outline of his jaw which she saw whenever he embraced her.

"Tamaki…"

"He knows that I don't love him." She said simply and removed herself from Kyouya's arms, looking at him again. "I am grateful for what he's done, but I don't love him. It won't be fair to him if I marry him."

"And so that could only mean, you will marry me."

"I guess." She smiled gently. Kyouya's arms encircled her waist and brought her into a crushing embrace.

"Haruhi, I love you."

"I know. Welcome back, Kyouya." She whispered. Kyouya blinked back the tears that had started to form in his eyes. This was the woman who had given him everything, and had waited for him to return to her. Despite having a crumbled world, she still waited. She always had, and always would. Tamaki had tried to create a new world for her, but she chose to walk away from that, for him. Kyouya closed his eyes and breathed in the wonderful scent of her hair, just the way he had always remembered it to be.

"I am back, Haruhi."

* * *

Finally, it was the day of the highly anticipated wedding of the year. The guests were all seated, the weather was brilliant, the birds were chirping, and in short, everything was perfect. Hunny sat at the front row together with Takashi, doing what he did best- observe. The twins had appointed themselves as the official wedding planners this time. Hunny thought that this was their way of dealing with the disappointment that Haruhi was now going to share a life with another person who was not either of them. They were bustling about, giving last-minute instructions for the crème de la finale of their planning- the entrance of the bride. Hunny gave a small smile, glad that they had factored in his suggestion of having a 10-tier strawberry cake. He shifted his glance from the door of the church to the altar.

The groom stood there, dressed impeccably next to the best man. The best man was talking excitedly to the groom, gesticulating wildly and the groom looked ready to murder the poor man. Hunny merely shook his head. Tama-chan had better not screw up today if not he was sure Kyou-chan would have Tama-chan exiled.

"Ne Takashi, do you think something will happen today?" He looked up to the stoic man who sat next to him. Mori looked at his cousin, not quite decided what his cousin meant.

"I think…" He motioned for his cousin to bend down so he could whisper into his ear. "… today will be a perfect day."

"Ah." And before Mori could ask any further, the twins had given the cue for the wedding march to be played. The guests shifted in their seats to look at the church doors opening slowly, a flurry of rose petals descending from the wedding arch. The groom and his best man turned to look at the entrance, where…

Ranka stood in his tuxedo beaming proudly, his hair tied back in a stylish and mannish ponytail. On his arm, hung Haruhi looking absolutely beautiful in her off-white, and sequined gown. It was a strapless gown, which showed off her bare shoulders and accentuated her curves. The twins had definitely outdone themselves in creating this gown in little less than the 3 months they had been given.

As Ranka walked his little girl down, the guests cheered and clapped. Haruhi and Ranka finally reached the altar and Ranka handed his daughter over to Kyouya.

"You take care of her now." He sniffed and went to sit besides Yoshio, who kindly offered a handkerchief to his in-law. Yuzuru patted Ranka's shoulder, having the honour of sitting in the front row as well.

"Don't drop the rings you fool!" Kyouya hissed as an overly excited Tamaki produced the rings. Tamaki smiled and held them out.

"Congratulations to you both."

"Thank you, Tamaki." Haruhi smiled at the blonde. Tamaki's heart ached a little but his happiness for his two friends outweighed the sour feeling. As the two took their vows, and exchanged their rings, the priest finally declared,

"You may now kiss the bride."

* * *

The end.

Thank you all for your lovely reviews! I will be working on Steam, my sci-fi/fantasy fic featuring Kyouya and Haruhi yet again. Do read that if you can, I promise it will be exciting!


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